Closer
by EvilRegalRiles
Summary: Slowburn Clexa AU - Lexa and Clarke were high school sweethearts but one day Lexa disappears and Clarke is left to pick up the pieces.
1. Chapter 1

_"I love you, you know?"_

 _I smiled, feeling her fingertips tracing the curve of my back and turned to face her. Her eyes, those brilliant emerald orbs stared into mine and I felt my breath leave my chest in gasps. The things Lexa Woods did to me, even after all this time._

 _"I love you too."_

 _"Always and forever?"_

 _"Always and forever."_

 _Her lips felt soft and silky against mine and I succumbed to the kiss, her arms wrapping around my waist and I felt the weight of her press against me, as she rolled so she was on top. She knew exactly how to unravel me. I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips as she kissed me._

 _Sunday afternoon, home alone, lazing in bed with the love of my life. True, I was only nineteen, but somehow I knew I'd found my soul mate. Lexa and I had been friends since we were ten years old, we'd been through every life experience together: high school, breakups, arguments, family dramas, pain and joy. We'd been dating since we were sixteen, when we both realised that our awkward teenage crushes on each other had actually, inevitably developed into so much more. I couldn't imagine having anybody else by my side._

 _"Clarke?"_

 _Her voice drew me out of my memories and back to the present moment. She leaned over me, hair swept to one side, biting her lip and furrowing her brow in concentration as she searched my eyes. I cupped her face with my hand and watched her features relax._

 _"I was just thinking about how happy I am," I whispered. She pressed her forehead against mine and smiled, totally content._

 _"Well get used to it, we've got many more years ahead of us baby girl."_

 _I never wanted this to end._

* * *

I awoke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright and clutching my chest, disorientated. I squeezed my eyes shut tight, trying to eradicate the memories from my mind. My heart was pounding in my rib cage, my singlet soaked with sweat from the all too vivid images and I had to hold back the tears that were forming in the corner of my eyes, threatening to spill.

Four years. It had been four years since I'd last seen her and I still dreamt of her every night. Four years since she had packed up and disappeared in the middle of the night without so much as a warning; a word, a text, a phone call. Four years of me crying myself to sleep at night, trying to pick up the pieces of my life she'd so horribly ruined and start again.

The fear from my sudden awakening was quickly blossoming into anger, as it often did, and I swung my legs over the side of my bed, taking deep breaths. I grabbed my mobile, charging on my night stand and checked the time, 3am, shivering as my feet hit the floor boards as I made my way to the kitchen.

I reveled in the silence and solitude of my loft, flicking on the kitchen light and filling a glass of water from the sink. It was cool and calm against my throat and I felt I could breathe a little easier. But my mind was buzzing.

I wondered again for the hundredth time where on earth Lexa could have gone to. And more importantly, why? We'd spent nearly every day since we were ten years old together, we had been completely and utterly in love…Didn't that count for something? _Didn't I mean anything?_ She had completely broken me. I shook my head, padding softly across my open-planned kitchen to the couch in the corner near the window where my laptop and cigarettes lay. Propping open the window, I lit a cigarette and logged onto my Mac Book, watching the smoke furl from my lips, moonlight illuminating the wisps that billowed through the air.

A notification dinged on my home page. _"O & Lincoln's engagement party, 7pm." _Shit, I'd been so wrapped up in my latest painting project that the gallery had requested and my shifts at the hospital that I completely forgot about the event tonight, I hadn't even bought a present yet. I tended to throw myself into my work and ignore all else, including my friends, when I felt my life spiraling out of control.

Logging onto Facebook I automatically typed _her_ name into the search bar and felt the hollowness blossoming inside my chest as the familiar answer flashed up on the screen. _No results found for Lexa Woods._ Impulsively I checked every other form of social media I knew she'd once had, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr all yielding no results. It was hopeless. It was as though she disappeared off the face of the planet. Four years of silence. Four years of hell.

I sighed, sucking smoke into my lungs and exhaled heavily, snapping my laptop closed. I lent back against the sofa and stared at my works of art that were scattered around the living room.  
Every single one of them depicted portraits of the woman who had once been my life. I wouldn't be able to sleep now, not with the image of those forest-green eyes burned into my retinas. 

* * *

_Entry 1462: Wednesday 12_ _th_ _of July 2015_

Shit, today was a bad day. I lost the mark we've been tracking for the last three weeks. He was my only fucking lead. I have no idea how it happened, I take meticulous care to never make mistakes. But then I had that phone call and I guess, damn, I guess I was just distracted. I have to come back. If only for one night, I owe it to Raven, to O, to Lincoln. After all, he is my brother. Anya says I'm an idiot for even considering it. That it's too risky, too soon. That it'll ruin all the progress we've made.

And then of course, you'll be there. I don't know how you'll react. Hell, I don't even know how I'll react! I wish I could explain everything to you, my love. I guess you don't think of me in that way anymore though and I wouldn't blame you. Nothing I can say or do can excuse what I did, how I left.

And I won't even be able to explain. Not yet at least anyway.

We've been camping out in the warehouse for over a month. It's cold here, there's barely any heating and I don't like it. Then again, I haven't liked my life much at all since I left, all those years ago. I haven't finished what I've started yet and this is my only option. I've got too much blood on my hands, I've come too far to back out now, but I can sense the end is getting closer. Anya takes good care of me she always has and it took a lot of convincing to get her to agree to come back with me. It'll be nice to get out of this god forsaken ghost town and back into some reasonable sense of normality, if only for a few days.

I have to go, my torch is running out of batteries and I don't think I have any left.

I'll see you soon.

\- L 

* * *

I heard her laugh before I even saw her and felt someone squeeze me from behind. Trust Raven to know how to cause a scene!

"Griffin!"

My best friend slurred, she'd obviously started pre-drinks early. I threw my arm over her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hey Reyes," I smiled, turning to face her. I smoothed my purple halter-cut dress down with the flat of my hand, nodding to Murphy and Jasper who'd obviously arrived with her. They quickly made their way over to the bar, chatting excitedly.

"Looking smoking girl!" Raven cocked her eyebrow, looking me up and down with an amused expression. I smacked her on the arm.

"Not so bad yourself! Have you seen O?"

Raven spun wildly, waving to friends that she had noticed, surveying the crowd. The _San Francisco Palace's_ gorgeous, light filled Gold Ballroom where we were currently standing was breathing taking, featuring sapphire blue carpet and floor to ceiling windows draped in silk and damask. The tables, vintage crystal chandeliers, and carved fireplace were illuminated by soft pink and blue disco lights, setting a comfortable atmosphere among all the glitz and glamour. Lincoln certainly had spared no expense when planning this night. A space had been cleared for the dance floor behind the multitude of tables, which all held friends and family, laughing, chatting, and enjoying the hype of the night.

"There!"

Before I had a chance to respond, Raven had grabbed my hand and pulled me through the multitudes of people to the present table, situated near the bar in the far corner, where Octavia and Lincoln were graciously accepting gifts. There had to be at least two hundred neatly wrapped presents piled high on the tabletop. Octavia squealed as she saw us and enveloped me in a huge hug. Lincoln patted my head in a brotherly fashion. I smiled, but had to avert my eyes from his, they reminded me too much of her. I cradled my drink, champagne of course, so it didn't spill and handed over my gift, (a new set of towels I'd pick up at Bed, Bath and Beyond) with my free hand.

"How are you Clarkey?" Octavia asked, looking ravishing in her black sequined dress which swept the floor. Her hair was tied up in a braid and hung loosely to one side and her stilettos made her look almost as tall as her fiance.

"Good! Yeah, just been busy with the art show coming up." I responded, "Great place you've got here!"

"I know right aren't I so lucky?" Octavia gushed, turning to kiss Lincoln on the lips. Raven made a gagging sound, but burst into laughter when Octavia quickly punched her in the arm.

"You're getting muscles short ass!" Raven quipped, "But seriously, I'm so happy for you guys, took you long enough!"

"Thanks you guys, tonight wouldn't be the same without you," Lincoln said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "What do you say to another round of drinks?"

My champagne flute was nearly empty and the alcohol was already making my head spin, but I followed my friends to the bar and took the offered shot which was pushed in my direction.

"Tequila? This early in the night?" I laughed. Raven nudged me.

"Drink up Griff, it's party time!"

We all clinked glasses and downed our shots, the liquid burning my throat as it went down. The music pumping from the speakers and the dimming of the lights in the room made for a comfortable atmosphere. It was definitely going to be one hell of a night.

"Wow Griffin, I didn't know you could handle your alcohol like a pro!"

I spun, slightly dizzy and came face to face with my ex-boyfriend, possibly the last person I ever wanted to see at the moment. He swayed a little, obviously drunk, or probably buzzed on whatever drug he was taking these days. It didn't matter to me anymore.

"Rack off Finn," Raven spat over the buzz of the music, slamming her shot glass down.

O gave me an apologetic look. Finn did after all work at the _Grounder's Gym_ that Octavia and Lincoln owned, which was in where I had met him. He was just one in a long line of mistakes I'd made in order to get over the fact that Lexa had abandoned me.

"Simmer down Reyes, I was simply complimenting Clarke on her drinking skills."

Finn's eyes raked over my body and that smirk that I hated so much ghosted his lips.

"Great to see you Finn, I gotta go," I mumbled, trying to push my way past him. He grabbed my arm and I turned to face him.

"Clarke wait, can't we at least talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about Finn. I'm sorry about what happened but I'm not interested."

"So, that's it then? I meant nothing to you?" He asked, sounding hurt, but I knew in reality he was just upset that I'd damaged his precious ego.

"Yes Finn, that's it. There's nothing else to say. Let go of me, now."

He tightened his grip on my arm and I felt fear flash through me.

"You _don't_ get to do this to me!" He scowled, frowning down at me.

Before I knew what was happening a hand reached out behind me and grabbed his wrist, twisting it so sharply that Finn cried out in pain and let go of me abruptly. I looked behind Finn and saw that Octavia, Lincoln and Raven were all dumb struck and silent, staring straight ahead and looking as though they'd seen a ghost.

"What the fu-?!"

"I believe she told you to let her go."

My entire body froze. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I felt as though my lungs were being crushed inside my chest.

 _I would know that voice anywhere._

The voice I had been dreaming about, every night for four long lonely years. But my body and my brain were refusing to catch up with the situation that was unfolding in front of me. I forced myself to turn around. I felt my face go numb as I looked into the eyes of the person who stood in front of me. My whole world was spinning.

Lexa. Lexa Woods, the love of my life, the woman who had ripped my heart to shreds and left without a whisper of a word stood before me, defending my honour. She stood before me, dressed to the nines in a finely cut tuxedo, white button down shirt complete with bow tie, looking more beautiful than I could ever remember.

"Hello Clarke."

I couldn't handle this. I couldn't breathe. Everything was going black. I was completely overwhelmed and didn't understand what was happening, but I had to get out of there. I had to leave, _now_.

I barely made it out onto the street in time before I emptied my stomach contents all over the pavement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the follows and favourites! The next few chapters will give an insight into Lexa and Anya's past, a little bit of back story to how they ended up where they are today. Please stay with it, it will all make sense in the end. This is a slow burn Clexa fic. (Sorry for all the re-uploads, I made a few mistakes that I wanted to fix)**

 **TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of childhood abuse. Sections written in italics are flashbacks/memories.**

Chapter 2

My heart was slamming inside my chest as I watched Clarke push her way through the crowd and out into the night. I desperately wanted to follow her. My hands were clenching into fists and I was aware that most people at the engagement party were turning to watch the scene I had just caused. _What on earth had I expected?_

"L-lexa? Anya? What are you guys doing here?" Octavia had practically thrown Finn out of the way in order to stand before me as she was now, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. She didn't look impressed and I heard Anya audibly scoff behind me. I knew what she was thinking, they had no idea what we'd been through.

I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could make a sound I felt a something solid collide with my face and recoiled from the pain, clutching my cheek.

"You fucking bitch!"

Raven had swung a heavy right hook that landed, rather impressively, under my left eye. Octavia bear hugged her friend from behind, holding her back, as the feisty Latina pulled her fist back to strike again. I could feel my cheek already swelling and throbbing in pain.

"Get off me! She deserves it! Do you have any idea what she did to Clarke-"

"Rae, stop!"

My brother's stern voice caused Octavia and her friend to pause and the commanding tone of his words made me flinch a little. I could feel Anya's hand on my shoulder, comforting, as I looked up into Lincoln's eyes, searching. Octavia was calming Raven down with another drink. God damn it this had been a mistake.

"Nothing to see here guys, grab another drink!" Lincoln called to the crowd, flashing his disarming smile. I could still feel a hundred eyes or more on me, but eventually they all turned back to their conversations.

"What the heck Lexa?" My hulk of a brother pulled me into a crushing hug and I tried to stop the tears from welling up. I had missed him so much. I'd missed all of them.

"It's your engagement party L. After you called, I knew I couldn't miss it." I whispered meekly, as he led me towards a secluded corner so we could talk more privately.

"Got some fucking nerve Woods!" I heard Raven call out to me over the thud of the bass. I chose to ignore her, (didn't she think I already knew that?) and moments later saw her leading Octavia out the front door, presumably to find Clarke. At the thought of the blonde I could my chest tighten painfully.

"Yeah but Lexa, why now? Do you know how many other things you've missed in the time you've been gone?"

I smoothed down my braid, trying to control my raging emotions and puffed my cheeks out, knowing that if there was one person in the world I could trust, it would be my older brother. I'd been hiding my life for too long and I had to get it off my chest, even if that went against the rules.

"They killed Costia, Linc. Azgeda. And… and they've got Aden."

* * *

 _4_ _th_ _of July 2002 (13 years ago)_

 _I was shivering and didn't like the loud sound of the fireworks crackling all around us. There was too much noise, too much celebration and not enough heat. I could hear lots of people out on the street, roaring drunk and laughing. I didn't see what there was to be so happy about. My big cousin Anya threw another blanket around my shoulders and I moved towards her to absorb some of her body heat. My brother Aden was curled against my chest, his fist bunched up in my shirt, fast asleep._

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _My eyes jerked upwards as a little girl, about my age, knocked on the roof of our "house"; a collection of cardboard boxes turned into a makeshift shelter, pushed in between two dumpsters in the slums of San Francisco._

 _I was ten years old and we'd been living on the street for at least two years, ever since Anya had taken me and my brother and run from the foster home we were living in. It was by no means the ideal situation, but we were relatively safe, fed often enough and most importantly, away from the disgusting man and woman who had called themselves our 'parents'. Obviously another couple who had adopted children in order to live off the welfare checks they received, with no intention of being actual guardians._

 _Our parents had died when I was just six, a freak car accident, and since they had been Anya's legal caretakers since she was a baby, we were all taken in as wards of the state. I didn't really understand what had happened only that we needed a new mommy and daddy and eventually were placed in the care of a couple who had seemed friendly enough at first. But after a while it became apparent that we were meant to be more slaves than children. Sometimes we went for days on end without food, they would just forget to feed us and we would be made to clean the house for hours and hours without a break. The man would often hit me and Anya for the slightest mistake and the woman was just as bad by acting as though we never existed. I wondered what I'd done wrong to deserve all this anger. It just became our way of living and I quickly learnt that crying or complaining only worsened our punishments._

 _Anya wouldn't speak of the things that I heard our 'dad' doing to her in the middle of the night, but I had always known. I had horror stories of my own that I kept a secret and one night she found out for herself, when I cried out a little too much even though he said that wasn't allowed and she'd come bursting into my bedroom wielding a baseball bat. I don't remember what happened to him but after that she'd packed us all up and we'd run. Anya was always looking after us and putting me and Aden first. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up, strong, protective, and brave._

 _"What's wrong honey?" Anya beckoned the little girl into our already cramped 'bedroom' and the curly haired child clambered in._

 _"I-I couldn't find my sleeping bag and it's so loud outside, I got lost." The girl sniffled. I felt a pang of sadness wash over me._

 _"Well you have to stay here with us then!" I chirped up brightly, offering her some of my blanket. She gratefully accepted it and curled up at my feet. "My name's Lexa. This is Anya, my big cousin and Aden my little brother. He's only eight."_

 _"Costia," She replied, smiling up at me. She had very pretty hazel eyes. "My name's Costia."_

 _"Don't worry Costia," I said, reaching down and squeezing her hand, "We'll look after you. We're going to be the best of friends."_

* * *

 _We didn't stay on the streets long after that. Anya made some new friends, an older boy called Roan and a girl named Ontari and a few weeks later I was marvelling at the brand new apartment that was our new home. Costia had never left our side since we met her and I now shared a room with her and Aden. I had my own bed, a closet full of clothes and the fridge was always piled high with food. I couldn't believe it! One day I pulled Anya aside, wanting some answers._

 _"An, where did all these things come from?" I asked._

 _She chuckled and ruffled my hair, smirking down at me._

 _"It's alright little Lex, Roan and Ontari lent me some money. Roan's mother Nia is very rich and she gave me a job. They've been helping me out a lot and that's why I've been able to afford all these nice things for us!"_

 _I smiled up at her._

 _"That's really nice of them. Nia sounds lovely. Thank you An, you always take care of me."_

 _She returned my smile but I noticed it didn't really reach her eyes. Something was bothering her. She pulled me into a hug._

 _"Time for bed little cousin, you've got school tomorrow. Don't forget to brush your teeth!"_

 _I kissed her on the cheek and ran, squealing, to my new room, where Costia, Aden and I jumped on our beds, laughing deliriously. I couldn't believe how lucky we were. We finally had a place to call our own! I felt like the luckiest girl in the world._

 _If only I had known then what this new life would cost us._

* * *

 _The scream from the playground caught my attention and I stopped swinging on my swing, noticing the commotion that was going on near the slides._

 _Three boys were grabbing and pinching a little girl, trying to take her lunch money. My eyes narrowed and I made my way over angrily._

 _"Get off her!"_

 _I grabbed the smallest boy, Murphy, by his scruffy locks and threw him backwards into the sand, ignoring his cries of pain. His two friends paused what they were doing and turned their attention on me._

 _"Didn't anybody ever teach you it's rude to hit girls?" I snarled, curling my little hands into fists. They just laughed and the oldest boy swung at me, wildly._

 _I easily dodged his attack, bent swiftly and grabbed a handful of sand, throwing it in his face. His stumbled back in clawing at his eyes, tripping over Murphy and landing flat on his back. I bared my teeth at the third boy, picking up a rock._

 _"H-here...take it," He swallowed, handing over the little girls money that he'd just stolen. I snatched the notes from him and rammed my knee up into his stomach for good measure._

 _"Get lost!"_

 _The three boys scampered off back towards the school, sniffling in pain and humiliation. I took the girls hand and pulled her to her feet._

 _Instantly the brilliant colbalt blue of her eyes struck me. She was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. Golden curls framed her face and she had a little beauty spot above her pink lips. All of a sudden I felt nervous._

 _"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively, handing back her money. "Don't worry about them, they won't bother you anymore."_

 _"T-thank you." The girl sniffed, rubbing her watery eyes. "They're just picking on me because I'm new."_

 _"I'm Lexa." I puffed my chest out and gave her a small smile. She returned it, picking up her backpack from the sand._

 _"I'm Clarke. Clarke Griffin."_

* * *

 _From that day forward, Clarke and I became inseparable. I noticed that she was in all of the same classes as me and I quickly took her under my wing, showing her around the school, eating lunch with her every day and learning everything I could about her._

 _As the years progressed became firm friends, spending every recess and lunch break together and most days after school. Her Mum, Abby, worked in Pacific Heights as a doctor and I was often invited over to her mansion-like house nearly every weekend. I learned that Clarke was a really amazing artist and her talents only progressed as she grew older. I, on the other hand, preferred sports. Class work annoyed me, as I didn't understand most of it, but Clarke was always my kind of unofficial tutor, never letting me give up or hand in an unfinished assignment. In turn, I taught her how to not be hit in the head with a volleyball every P.E lesson and how to shoot a basketball. It was a fair trade._

 _I never really told Clarke the extent of damage my younger years had inflicted upon me, she knew I'd grown up in the foster system and that I lived with Anya, Aden and Costia - but I felt it unnecessary to burden her with the darker details. She and I came from completely different world. Because of that, I never really felt comfortable letting her come round to my apartment. She came from such a fancy suburb and although our unit was a step up from living on the streets, I would've been embarrassed to invite her over. She never questioned why and I was grateful for it._

 _But even so, my life felt better with Clarke in it. We complimented each other so well, made each other laugh until we cried._

 _In the summer holidays, when we were thirteen, I had come to realize that I liked girls. Or rather, my eyes were only set on one girl, Clarke. But we'd been friends for so long and I didn't want to chance ruining it. I'd rather have her in my life as a friend than nothing at all._

 _We were splashing around in her pool, a Sunday afternoon, relaxing as we only had a few days left until school term started again. Clarke's other friends, Octavia and Raven were inside, grabbing us all sodas and snacks. I didn't mind them, they were nice girls and always included me in everything. Costia was moping around the pool side, reading a book. I normally included Costia in my weekend adventures at Clarke's place, except for some reason lately, she didn't seem to be enjoying our company as much anymore. Raven reckoned she was jealous, but I assured her there was nothing for her to be jealous of! And anyway she had practically been my sister for the last three years. It wasn't like that. Raven and O had just exchanged dubious looks and tutted in disbelief._

 _I dunked Clarke under the water and watched her emerge, laughing, the sun shining off her brilliant blonde hair. Her fingers reached out to tickle me, my worst fear and she walked me backwards until I bumped into the poolside wall, desperately trying to wriggle away._

 _"Stop, stop!" I choked, twisting and squirming in her arms._

 _"Say please," Clarke's eyes twinkled with excitement and she stepped closer to me. The air between us grew thick and her mouth widened in a gorgeous 'O' shape as she noticed my eyes had darkened in colour. I swear I saw her eyes flicker down to my lips._

 _"P-please!" I giggled._

 _Before I knew what was happening, her tickle torment had stopped and I felt her mouth press against mine. To say I saw stars was an understatement. My best friend was kissing me! Her hands were in my hair and her lips were unrelenting, hot, sweet and warm, a welcome contrast to the coolness of the water. I kissed her back, making a small noise in the back of my throat, our bodies flush against each other. She pulled away, blushing._

 _"What...what was that for?" I asked, trying to catch my breath. She booped me on the nose._

 _"You're just cute." She replied, winking at me._

 _I looked up just in time to see Costia throw down her book and storm into the house, slamming the door in the process._

* * *

Costia's P.O.V

 _Fucking Clarke._

 _I stomped my way up the street to our house, seething. How could Lexa have let Clarke kiss her like that? I didn't want to admit to myself that I was jealous but I was. I'd had feelings for Lexa for years, although I'd passed them off as sisterly affection, today had shown me that I did in fact, feel something for Lexa. But it was obvious, Lexa only had eyes for Clarke. I guess I would just have to accept it, as much as I didn't want to._

 _I took the elevator up to the 4th floor where our apartment was and stepped out onto the landing, pulling my iPod headphones out of my ears. As I rounded the corner to my door, I saw two hulking figures emerge and they definitely didn't live with us. Alarm bells rang in my head and I slipped quickly into the stairwell, my back pressed against the wall, blood pounding in my ears. I'd noticed that the black bald headed man was holding a baseball bat. The other, a tall heavy set man with long black hair, beard and moustach kicked at something on the ground and I heard a groan._

 _"You better pay up Woods, boss doesn't like getting fucked around!"_

 _"Seiku...Tybe...please...I-I'll pay..."_

 _I could hear someone spitting on the floor. My stomach curled._

 _"You know how this agreement goes Anya. Weekly payments and if you fall behind next time, it won't be just you who pays the price!"_

 _"Please...just give me a bit more time..."_

 _Another thud, another cry of pain._

 _"Azgeda doesn't have **time** for your mistakes Woods. Get the money, we've been generous enough up until now. You know where to meet us."_

 _I creased my eyebrows. Azgeda? The Mafia? What on earth? As I heard the two men make their way back down the hallway and I waited with baited breath until I heard the elevator doors close. I rushed to the apartment and gasped in horror._

 _"Anya!"_

 _"Fuck!"_

 _Anya lay crumpled and bleeding on the floor, her face a puffy mess. I'm pretty sure some of her fingers were broken and it looked like she had a fracture in one of her cheek bones. She tried to scramble away, to put distance between herself and me._

 _"Co-Costia fuck...leave please..." She barely managed to choke out. I cradled her head in my arms, rocking her gently as I dialled 911._

 _"What the hell Anya? Let me call Lexa." I whispered. She grabbed my hand with sudden force, panic stricken._

 _"NO! Lexa can't know about this okay? It was never meant to go this far. I just messed up alright? I work for Azgeda, I have for years, but the jobs they've been getting me to do are becoming more difficult, and I'm in a shit load of debt struggling to pay back the money I owe them..."_

 _I told the ambulance attendant on the phone our address and helped Anya to a seat in the kitchen. Suddenly I was filled with fear._

 _"Where's Aden?!"_

 _"It's okay...he's at Madi's house." Anya coughed, and I saw a piece of tooth land in her hand. I breathed a sigh of relief but I figured our troubles are far from over._

 _"What are you going to do Anya?"_

 _"It's okay...Ontari..." I scoffed as Anya spoke her girlfriends name, "Ontari has another job for me to do to make up the money. I need to do another run..."_

 _"Are you kidding me? She's worse than all of them! You're not going anywhere in your condition, I'll do it."_

 _"Costia, no! You're thirteen for fucks sake, I am not getting you involved!"_

 _"I already AM involved An! You're practically my mother! Do you know what they're going to do to you, to us, to Lexa if you don't pay up? They're the fucking Mafia!"_

 _Anya grabbed my hand, fear in her eyes._

 _"Please...just don't tell Lexa."_

 _I had a bad feeling blooming in the pit of my stomach. I crossed my fingers behind my back and answered her:_

 _"I won't."_

* * *

 _"I don't like her."_

 _I turned to face Costia, grabbing one of the cigarettes she offered me as we watched Clarke's retreating form._

 _"Huh? Why not?" I queried, handing Cos my lighter. Costia just scowled, scuffing her shoes into the pavement._

 _"I just don't. She's so…chirpy."_

 _I laughed, shoving my friend in the shoulder playfully. She didn't retaliate._

 _"Are you worried Clarke's going to replace you or something?" I teased, swinging my legs over the edge of the brick wall I was sitting on outside our high school. Friday afternoon, last day of Year Freshman year._

 _Costia didn't reply. Just stared at me mournfully with her hazel eyes. She knew that I liked Clarke._

 _"No one can ever replace you Cos, you're like a sister to me. Clarke's just…special." I sighed, my stretching back muscles and hearing my shoulder click. I'd been pushing myself too hard on the court these days. Basketball, I'd found, was one thing I excelled at._

 _Cos held her hand out to take mine, beckoning me off the wall._

 _"C'mon we gotta get back, we're on cooking duty tonight remember?"_

 _I rolled my eyes, reluctantly jumping down and followed her onto the side walk._

 _"Oh! I almost forgot, look what I found in the paper."_

 _Costia handed me today's copy of the San Francisco Chronicle and I stared in shock at the full page story, complete with colour photos._

 _ **'**_ _ **Cocaine 'King' Mafia chief arrested in Powell Street Station, San Fran**_ _.  
_ Roan King, ring leader of San Francisco's most wanted organized crime organization, Azgeda, was placed under arrest yesterday afternoon when an anonymous tipster revealed his location from a pay phone…King had been on the run from authorities for more than a year, after escaping custody on charges of armed assault and drug trafficking.

 _"What?!" I shouted, trying to wrap my head around the new information. "Roan's part of the Mafia?"_

 _"Have you been living under a rock Loopy Lex? How do you think Anya has been able to afford all those things for us all these years? Rent, school fees, food, new clothes? She works for Roan. Nia, Roan's mom, is the Donna of the whole group."_

 _"But…what…?"_

 _Costia shrugged._

 _"Sometimes I wonder where your head is at Lex."_

 _"Why didn't you tell me? About the Mafia?" I started to walk a little faster, desperate to talk to Anya, desperate to get some answers. Desperate to know the truth._

 _"Honestly? I thought you knew."_

 _"Why would Anya get mixed up in something as stupid as that though?!"_

 _Costia grabbed my hand as we walked, linking our fingers together._

 _"Lex, desperate times call for desperate measures. You remember what it was like, living on the streets. Not really an ideal situation for anyone. I'm sure Anya just thought she was doing what was best for all of you by taking chances."_

 _I clicked my tongue, annoyed._

 _"I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this."_

 _"It'll be alright. We've got each other. And I love you."_

 _She squeezed my hand, comfortingly. We started to cross the street into the alleyway that lead to the back of our apartment complex._

 _Just as we rounded the corner into the alleyway a black Jaguar screamed into view and pulled up in front of us, blocking our entrance. I stood rooted to the spot, absolutely petrified as three men in suits and a distinguished looking woman leapt from the car, surrounding us. Before I could speak I was doubled over in pain from a fist to my stomach and I felt hands grabbing my arms, holding them behind my back._

 _"What do you want?" I heard Costia whimper, before the sound of skin hitting skin reached my ears. I coughed, catching my breath, looking over at my friend, who was being held around the neck by the tall woman with light brown eyes and dirty blonde hair._

 _I froze as I saw she was holding a gun against Costia's temple._

 _"No! Please!" I heard myself scream, wriggling to get free. Another blow to my stomach silenced me._

 _"My name is Echo." She waved the gun in my direction. "Lexa Woods?"_

 _I nodded, unable to speak, praying the gun wasn't loaded._

 _"This is a warning. Tell your cousin Anya, that Nia sends her regards."_

 _My heart was screaming inside my chest, I could barely breathe as I watched Echo draw the safety switch back on the pistol she held and pointed it again at Costia's temple. I struggled with all my might against the hands that held me, spitting, clawing, and scratching to no avail._

 _"NO! COSTIA! NO!"_

 _The sound of the gun going off almost deafened me. Screams tore from my throat as I watched Echo let Costia's lifeless body fall to the ground, the bitch's own face dripping with my best friend's blood splatter. I barely felt the punches and kicks I was receiving to my body at the hands of Echo's heavies. I had to get to Costia, had to save her…_

 _After what seemed like hours, even though it was only minutes, I came to. My whole body was screaming in pain. I felt my face press harshly into the concrete, heard the squeal of tires as a car pulled away. I was bleeding, bruised and confused but crawled my way to my friend's body, desperately feeling for a pulse. I knew it was hopeless. I sobbed uncontrollably as I turned Costia over to face me, bile rising up in my throat. Half her face was missing. I couldn't help the high pitched wailing noise that escaped my mouth._

 _I heard the blare of sirens in the distance, but no matter what I would not let go of the girl who had become my sister, who now lay dead in my arms._


End file.
